She said: "This is a massive opportunity if the Scottish Government fulfills what they say they will, both for outbound and inbound passengers."

But Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie said: “The Scottish Government would do well to ignore this obvious exercise in corporate flim flam.

When Ryanair announced a raft a new routes from airports down south just a few weeks ago, it did so without a threat to the government to change its air passenger policy.

"And when other places like Northern Ireland pursued a similar tax cut, it didn’t change the fundamental economics that determine whether a route is profitable or not.

“The policy of a tax cut for the aviation industry is being presented without any coherent evidence about the impact on jobs, on the economy, on ticket prices or on the climate change effects.

"I don’t think the SNP’s supporters would take kindly to their party’s leaders doing a deal with the Tories to force through this tax cut, which flies in the face of the evidence.”

Mr O'Leary also warned there is a remote chance of all flights between the UK and Europe being suspended in March 2019 if the UK Government opts for a "cliff-edge" Brexit.

The businessman said the current open skies arrangement hinges on recognising the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, which Prime Minister Theresa May said Britain would no longer be subject to.

Mr O'Leary believes it will take more than the two-year time frame from triggering Article 50 to put agreements in place with European Union (EU) nations.

He said: "In the airline industry we could be heading for a very difficult divorce with Europe.

"There is a possibility, unlikely, but nevertheless a possibility that there may be no flights between the UK and Europe in March 2019 if the UK walks off this cliff that they seem determined to walk off."